INTRODUCTION: The inhaled corticosteroid (IC) is the mean therapy used for the preventive and maintenance treatment of asthma. Overdose or prolonged use of IC can cause some collateral effects as remission in bone growth, adrenal suppression and myopathy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of inhaled corticosteroids in the inspiratory and expiratory strength in asthmatic school children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study, that included 60 children between 6 to 12 years divided into three groups: control (CG), asthma (AG) and children whose used IC for at least three months (AG+IC). The maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) were measured in 3 different days with 12 days between them. RESULTS: The mean ± SD of MIP in the third day was - (65.4 ± 21.9), - (74.9 ± 19.5) and - (80.7 ± 21.5) cmH2O to the AG, AG+IC and CG, respectively. The MIP in the AG was lesser than in the CG (p < 0.05). The mean ± SD of MEP in the third day was 52.7 ± 14.8; 61.7 ± 17.4; and 75.6 ± 18.4 cmH2O to the AG, AG+IC and CG, respectively. The MEP was superior in the CG than in the AG (p < 0.05). The MEP was superior in the CG than the AG+CI (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The results suggest that IC promotes a major control of pulmonary hiperinflation with the increase of MIP in asthmatic children, but decrease the MEP probably by the effect in the type II muscles fibers.
Asthma; Corticosteroid; Respiratory muscles
